What Is Sustainable Development, and Why Is it Important?

Put simply, sustainable development is the act of meeting the needs of today’s generation without negatively affecting the needs of any future generations. We hear the term a lot, especially these days, but what does it mean in practical terms, and why is it so important? In practical terms, it not only makes sense to care about future generations, but it is also the right thing to do. After all, most of us have children and grandchildren, so it is quite natural to care about their futures as well as our own. When it comes to this all-important concept, there is really no such thing as doing too much, because our families will continue to grow and it is only natural to care about their future. The Basics of Sustainable Development Of course, this concept involves much more than simply caring about future generations. It also involves caring for the environment, because after all, we only have one planet to share with people who will be here in the years to come. It is sometimes difficult for us to think about what the planet will look like decades and centuries after we are gone, but considering most of us will have relatives on the planet, it is something we should think about on a regular basis. Many nations throughout the world have come together and developed plans and goals for our sustainable development efforts, and these goals have included things such as: Clean water and sanitation Action on climate issues Clean and affordable energy Getting rid of poverty and hunger Establishing good health and well-being for everyone Responsible production and consumption Making cities and communities more sustainable Promoting economic growth and decent work opportunities Promoting quality education for all Reducing the inequalities between the sexes and sexual orientations Depending on which report you read, there can be other goals as well, but these are by far the most important ones according to most organizations. Many of the goals may sound simple, but in fact, most of the actions we can take to improve sustainable development efforts are the simplest actions of all.